Tubular lantern.



A. R. PRII'CHARD.

TUBULAR LANTBRN. Arrmouxon FILED nu. as, 1911.

Patented Apr. 1.1, 19-11.

ALBERT R. PRITCHARD, 0E ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

TUBULAR LANTERN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

Application led January 23, 1911. Serial No. 604,289.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT R. PRITCHARD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tubular Lanterns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of the body or oil-font of a tubular lantern and the parts immediately connected therewith.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction of the body of a tubular lantern in such a manner as to secure great rigidity and durability therein, without unduly increasing the cost of manufacture, and also to provide for the more secure connection between the body of the lantern and the lower portions of the air-tubes.

To this end the invention consists in the construction hereinafter described as it is defined in the succeeding claims.

In the drawings :-Figure l'is a frontele vation of the lower portion of a tubular lantern embodying the present invention, the ligure being partly in section on the line 1-1 in Fig. 3; Fig. 2 is a side-elevation; and Fig. 3 is a bottom-view of the lantern.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a tubular lantern of which the general form and construction are familiar to those skilled in the art, this construction comprising an oil-font, an air-.chamber on top of the oil-font, and air-tubes connecting this airchamber with the dome of the lantern. The construction of the oil-font and the airchamber constitutes a novel feature of the invention. The oil-font has a sheet-metal bottom 4 and an inner shell 5, both of which are drawn from sheet-metal and may be of any ordinary or suitable form. The shell 5 is also provided with the usual sleeve or cup 6 in which the burner is supported.

In the ordinary construction of lanterns of the type in question the air-chamber is formed by means of a cylindrical sheetmetal casing soldered to the upper surface of the oil-font. In the present invention, however, the air-chamber is produced by means of a drawn sheet-metal member which provides not only an air-chamber, but also a reinforcement for the oil-font. This member is in the form of an outer shell 7 which tits closely against the sides of the inner shell 5, but has an integral upwardly-projecting portion 8 Within which is the airchamber 9. The inner shell 5, the outer shell 7, and the bottom 4 are all united at the lower periphery of the oil-font by locking their edges together to form a single seam 12, and this seam may be soldered in the usual manner to render the joint oil-tight. In the construction just described the number of pieces is the same as that usually employed, while one ofthe joints usually necessary is eliminated. The construction of the lantern is thus simplified, while at the same time the rigidity and durability of the oilfont is greatly increased owing both to the double thickness of metal at its sides and to the extra thickness of metal in the joint 12. This joint, owing to this extra thickness, constitutes a very substantial rim at a point on the oil-font where it is most subject to injury from blows. At the same time, by the elimination of the usual soldered joint at the bottom of the air-chamber and the substitution of an integral connection at this point, the construction of the lantern is further strengthened, particularly as the airtubes are united with the air-chamber and tend to pull the oil-font from the air-chamber where the lantern is subjected to rough usage.

As a further reinforcement for the oilfont, and particularly to bind the air-tubes securely to the body of the lantern, I employ a reinforcement consisting preferably of a single length of wire. This wire is bent to provide two upwardly-extending U-shaped loops 13, each of which extends along the outer surface of the oil-font and embraces one of the air-tubes 11. From the lower ends of the loops 13 the wire is bent inwardly and then laterally to form a rmg 14 which extends along the lower surface of the oil-font near the edge thereof. and preferably eXtends entirely around the oil-font as illustrated. To assist in securing the ring 14 in place the bottom-piece 4 may have a slight downwardly-projecting bead 15 formed in it and constituting a shoulder against which the wire may rest. The wire reinforcement just described is preferably soldered to the oil-font throughout its length, and is also preferably soldered to the air-tubes. At the bottom of the oil-font it provides a projection upon which the lantern rests when standing upon the Hoor or ground, and thereby protects the bottompiece 4 against wear. It also reinforces the oil-font substantially at its lower edge, where it is most subjected to blows. The loops 13 tie the air-tubes `securely downv against the upper surface of the oil-font, and thus strengthen the lantern at what has previously been a weak point.

l. In a tubular lantern, a bod-y comprising a bottom-member, an inner shell, and an outer shell, the two shells fitting closely ltogether .except at the top of the body where they are spaced apart to form an air-chamber between the shells and th-e edges ofthe bottom-member, and the two shells and the bottom being all secured together at the bottom of the body. l

'2. In combination, with the body and the air-.tubes of a tubular lantern, a reinforcing member comprising a wire lying across each airtube Vand extending thence downwardly on either side along the side of the body 'to laterally along the bottom of the body adj acent the edge thereof.

.ALBERT l. TRITCHARD. 'Vitnesses 'CLAUDE S. S. SMITH, FARNUM F. DoRsEY.

-Copes of this patent may be obtainedfforvecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

"Washington, LD. C. v

y'the bottom thereof and extending thence 

